1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a vibration compensation device which compensates for image blur produced by shaking or vibrating the camera, and in particular, relates to a to camera having a vibration compensation device which is equipped with a strobe emitting device, a strobe battery, and a strobe charging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In known cameras, various parts and units are electronic and highly automated, for example autoexposure (AE) mechanisms and autofocus (AF) mechanisms. Another example of an electronic and highly automated function is a vibration compensation device for reducing image blur caused by camera vibration, such as vibrations which occur during hand-held photography. Various vibration compensation devices have been proposed which attempt to compensate for the image blur which occurs when the camera sways, and, particularly when the camera tilts. These known vibration compensation devices are typically activated when a shutter release button is pressed halfway, and use an angular velocity sensor, as a vibration detection unit, to detect vibrations by obtaining the angular velocity of the camera vibration, and thereafter shift a vibration compensation lens system according to the detected vibrations. The vibration compensation lens system, which may encompass all or part of a main optical system in a photographic lens system, is typically shifted in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and opposite to the detected vibrations. Thus, even in an exposure where the camera shutter speed is slower than that of normal photography, photographs can be taken without image blur.
A problem in using this type of vibration compensation device is that the accuracy of the vibration compensation depends on the photographic operating conditions of the camera. In known cameras which do not have a vibration compensation device and which have a built-in strobe emission unit, when the shutter release button is pressed halfway, photometry and rangefinding are performed, and a strobe battery is charged when it is determined that strobe emission photography is required and that the condenser which comprises the strobe battery is not charged. However, in cameras which have a vibration compensation device and a built-in strobe emission unit, when the determination is made that the strobe battery is uncharged, and the charging operation is started, there is a danger that the operation of the vibration detection unit will malfunction when the source voltage in the control circuit system inside the camera drops. When the source voltage drops in known cameras having a strobe emission unit and a vibration compensation device, the vibration detection unit tends to output erroneous vibration detection signals. This, in turn, creates erroneous movement of the vibration compensation lens system which can increase image blur.
There exists a need for a camera having a vibration compensation system and a strobe battery, or a condenser having a limited capacity, which is housed inside the camera, in which it is possible to operate both the vibration compensation device and the strobe emission unit at the same time and without error.